Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from the grated meat of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut" title="Coconut" >coconut</a>. The color and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil" title="Coconut oil" >oil</a> content.

Two grades of coconut milk exist: thick and thin. Thick milk is prepared by directly squeezing grated coconut meat through <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesecloth" title="Cheesecloth" >cheesecloth</a>. The squeezed coconut meat is then soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time for thin coconut milk. Thick milk is mainly used to make <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dessert" title="Dessert" >desserts</a> and rich, dry <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauce" title="Sauce" >sauces</a>.

Thin milk is used for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soup" title="Soup" >soups</a> and general cooking. This distinction is usually not made in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_World" title="Western World" class="mw-redirect" >Western nations</a> since fresh coconut milk is rare, and most consumers buy coconut milk in cans.

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water" title="Coconut water" >Coconut water</a> is the water that comes from the coconut.

Coconut milk can be made at home by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and 

aromatic compounds. It has a fat content of approximately 17%. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate out from the milk.

Coconut milk has a long-standing cultural association with health in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda" title="Ayurveda" >Ayurveda</a>

tradition. This natural drink is usually recommended for maintaining electrolyte balance and can also be used in case of dehydration. Some recent studies have suggested that coconut milk has hyperlipidemic balancing qualities, antimicrobial properties in the gastrointestinal tract or by topical application,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-0" >[1]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-1" >[2]</a> and it has been used as a home remedy for healing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouth_ulcer" title="Mouth ulcer" >mouth ulcers</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-2" >[3]</a> In a study with rats, two coconut based preparations (a crude warm water extract of coconut milk and a coconut water dispersion) were studied for their protective effects on drug-induced gastric ulceration.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-3" >[4]</a> Both substances offered protection against ulceration, with coconut milk producing a 54% reduction vs. 39% for coconut water. In addition, the saturated fat in coconut milk is mostly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauric_acid" title="Lauric acid" >lauric acid</a>, which was found to have positive effects on the cardiovascular system.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-4" >[5]</a>

While it is important to note that there is conflicting evidence on the claimed health effects of consuming significant amounts of coconut milk, coconut is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which the body processes differently than other saturated fats. MCFAs promote weight maintenance without raising cholesterol levels. They work best for preventing weight gain if you’re not overweight or maintaining your new weight after a successful diet. [St. Onge, Marie-Pierre PhD and Peter J.H. Jones PhD “Journal of Nutrition” 1999-2002.]<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-5" >[6]</a>

One of the most prominent components of coconut milk is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil" title="Coconut oil" >coconut oil</a>, which the United States<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_and_Drug_Administration" title="Food and Drug Administration" >Food and Drug Administration</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-6" >[7]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization" title="World Health Organization" >World Health Organization</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-7" >[8]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_College_of_Nutrition&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="International College of Nutrition (page does not exist)" >International College of Nutrition</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-8" >[9]</a> the United States <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Health_and_Human_Services" title="Department of Health and Human Services" class="mw-redirect" >Department of Health and Human Services</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-9" >[10]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dietetic_Association" title="American Dietetic Association" class="mw-redirect" >American Dietetic Association</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-ADA-10" >[11]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Heart_Association" title="American Heart Association" >American Heart Association</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-11" >[12]</a> British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Health_Service" title="National Health Service" >National Health Service</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-12" >[13]</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietitians_of_Canada" title="Dietitians of Canada" >Dietitians of Canada</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-ADA-10" >[11]</a> recommend against consuming in significant amounts due to its high levels of saturated fat.

Coconut milk contains a large proportion of lauric acid, a saturated fat that raises blood cholesterol levels by increasing

the amount of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-density_lipoprotein" title="High-density lipoprotein" >high-density lipoprotein</a> cholesterol<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-Mensink-13" >[14]</a> that is also found in significant amounts in<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_milk" title="Breast milk" class="mw-redirect" >breast milk</a> and

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebaceous_gland" title="Sebaceous gland" >sebaceous gland</a> secretions.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-Amarasiri-14" >[15]</a> This may create a more favourable blood cholesterol profile, though it is unclear if coconut oil may promote <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis" title="Atherosclerosis" >atherosclerosis</a> through other pathways.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-Mensink-13" >[14]</a>

Because much of the saturated fat of coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid, coconut oil may be a better alternative to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogenation" title="Hydrogenation" >partially hydrogenated vegetable oil</a> when solid fats are required.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-Tarrago-15" >[16]</a> In addition, virgin coconut oil is composed mainly of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-chain_triglycerides" title="Medium-chain triglycerides" >medium-chain triglycerides</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-16" >[17]</a> which may not carry the same risks as other saturated fats.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-Tarrago-15" >[16]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-Marina-17" >[18]</a> Early studies on the health effects of coconut oil used partially hydrogenated coconut oil, which creates <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat" title="Trans fat" >trans fats</a>, and not virgin coconut oil, which has a different health risk profile.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk#cite_note-18" >[19]</a>

Coconut Milk

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